Yes, researches have now discovered a way to convert durian waste into useful bandages!
Durians are known for its unique pungent smell that is enjoyed and disliked by many. For those who enjoy eating it, only the yellow creamy flesh is consumed, which is around 20% of the fruit’s weight. The other 80% is taken up by the hard, outer shell called the husk. The husk is often thrown away and is a large contributor to environmental waste in countries like Singapore.
Because of the large supply of durians, scientists decided to combat the conflict of food waste by converting it into hydrogel plasters. In 2021, a team of researchers located in Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), discovered an inexpensive procedure that takes out the cellulose powder from the husk and is then mixed with glycerol to create a gel, which is then cut out into bandages.
As many people were concerned about the smell of the product, since it is derived from a pungent fruit, the scientists have confirmed that it is completely odorless. The antimicrobial bandages were also proven to be as good and perhaps even better than regular bandages. It contains moisture and other materials that speeds the healing and alleviates the wound through its coolness. Researchers state that the waste’s material is more effective than the ones in the conventional bandage, which has more expensive compounds like copper and silver.
However, these plasters do not help big wounds, as it is mostly composed of water. Even though it helps with the conflict of food waste, it isn’t 100% biodegradable. The hydrogel is placed above a plastic that makes the product adhesive. But this issue is still being solved by the same team of researchers to make it more eco friendly.
As 12 million durians are consumed every year in Singapore, and more in other countries, there would always be a large supply of these sustainable bandages. Scientists have also realized that the same procedure used on these durians can also be performed on other produce, such as spent grains and soybeans. Not only do these reduce environmental pollution and help with the food waste conflict, but they can also help people medically and lead a pathway to newer medical discoveries.
Citations:
Goel, Shubhangi. “Scientists Turn Durian Waste into Bandages — and the Internet Has Questions.” CNBC, 25 Oct. 2021, www.cnbc.com/2021/10/22/singapore-scientists-turn-durian-husks-into-bandages.html.
Teo, Travis, and Lee Ying Shan. “Scientists in Singapore Transform Fruit Leftovers into Antibacterial Bandages.” Reuters, 20 Sept. 2021, www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/scientists-singapore-transform-fruit-leftovers-into-antibacterial-bandages-2021-09-20.
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